Graduate Certificates

This certificate provides an introduction to using human-centered approaches to address societal issues. 

The graduate certificate requires completion of 12 credit hours, with 6 credits prescribed, and 6 credits selected from two of three areas. Take both courses from the ‘Required’ section below, then choose at least 1 more course from any two of the areas 1, 2, and 3 for a total of 12 credits. (The elective courses should be in different areas.) Given that some of the courses are offered sporadically, potential substitutions are possible, where appropriate. If you have questions, please contact Ivica Ico Bukvic and Scott McCrickard, co-directors.

Required: INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

• GRAD 5134: Topics in Interdisciplinary Research (when HCD topic is offered)
• CS 5724: Models and Theories of Human-Computer Interaction

1. DESIGN STUDIES

• ART 5524: Topics in Human Centered Design (studio)
• ENGE 5024: Design in Engineering Education and Practice
• STS 6614: Adv. TS: (Cultures of Design; Origins of Innovation)

2. UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE

• CS/ISE 5714: Usability Engineering
• CS 5734: Computer-Supported Collaborative Work
• EDIT 5234: Intro to the Learning Sciences
• ENGE 5404: Assessment Techniques in Engineering Education
• ISE 5604: Human Information Processing I
• ISE 6604: Human Factors in Visual Display Systems
• ISE 6094: Cognitive Task and Work Analysis
• PSYCH 5354: Information Processing
• STS 6244: TS: History, Culture, and Politics of the Internet

3. DESIGN REALIZATION

• ART 5714: TS: Creative Code for Art & Design; TS: Interaction Design
• CS 5764: Information Visualization
• CS 5774: User Interface Software
• CS 6724: Advanced Topics In Human­ Computer Interaction
• ECE 5564: Wearable + Ubiquitous Computing
• EDIT 5624: Interactive Learning Media, Arts, and Design
• EDIT 5614: Digitally Mediated Learning
• EDIT 5624: Interactive Learning Media, Arts, and Design
• EDIT 5634: Interactive Learning Media Development
• ENGL 5074: Introduction to Digital Humanities
• ENGL 6344: Rhetoric in Digital Environments
• ISE 6604: Human Factors in Visual Display Systems
• ISE 6614: Human Computer Systems
• ME 5644: Rapid Prototyping

Human-Centered Design and Human-Computer Interaction certificate programs

For graduate students interested in the design of interactive systems, there are two graduate certificates: the Human-Centered Design certificate and the Human-Computer Interaction certificate.  

• The HCD certificate program focuses on creating the “new” – that is, design. It does so through the application of a “human-centered” paradigm; some key human-centered methodologies are participatory design and user experience design. Designing this way can be applied in many areas from consumer products to computer interfaces.
  
  
• The HCI certificate program, in contrast, does not emphasize (or even require) design. It focuses specifically on computer and information system interfaces. There are many ways of knowing what constitutes a “good” interface and the certificate program approaches the question using research, evaluation and design ways of knowing.

Thus, the two certificate programs complement one another. It is possible to attain both certificates with careful planning of additional course work and selection of thesis or dissertation topics.  Courses may be counted towards no more than two credentials (certificates and degrees).

2013-2015 course list

The following is the previous course list. It is provided for those students who have already begun the HCD Certificate program:

The graduate certificate requires completion of 12 credit hours, with 6 credits prescribed, and 6 credits selected from across two of three areas. Take both courses from the ‘Required’ section below, then choose 2 more courses from area 1, 2, or 3 for a total of 12 credits.

REQUIRED

• GRAD 5134: Topics in Interdisciplinary Research (3 credits- when HCD topic is offered)
• ART 5524 (ART 5984 Fall 2014): Topics in Human Centered Design (3 Credits, Fall only)

Area 1: Creative Problem Solving

• ART 5714: TS: Creative Code for Art & Design; TS: Interaction Design
• EDIT 5624: Interactive Learning Media, Arts, and Design
• ENGE 5024: Design in Engineering Education and Practice
• ME 5644: Rapid Prototyping

Area 2: Computational Practices

• CS/ISE 5714: Usability Engineering
• CS 5724: Models and Theories of HCI
• CS 5764: Information Visualization
• CS 5774: User Interface Software
• CS 6724: Advanced Topics In Human­ Computer Interaction
• ECE 5564: Wearable + Ubiquitous Computing
• EDIT 5624: Interactive Learning Media, Arts, and Design E
• EDIT 5634: Interactive Learning Media Development
• ISE 5604: Human Information Processing I
• ISE 6614: Human Computer Systems
• ISE 6604: Human Factors in Visual Display Systems

Area 3: Interdisciplinary Research

• EDIT 5234: Intro to the Learning Sciences
• EDIT 5614: Digitally Mediated Learning
• ENGE 5404: Assessment Techniques in Engineering Education
• ENGL 5074: Introduction to Digital Humanities
• ENGL 6344: Rhetoric in Digital Environments
• STS 6244: TS: History, Culture, and Politics of the Internet
• STS 6614: Adv. TS: (Cultures of Design; Origins of Innovation)

This certificate aims to give graduate students the opportunity to develop their skills in Human-Computer Interactions through courses and through their thesis or dissertation work.

Master's degree students complete 9 hours and doctoral students 15 hours of coursework for the certificate; at least two of the courses taken must be outside the student's degree program requirements and home department. These courses should be relevant to HCI; any exceptions to courses not on the web site must be cleared by the certificate coordinator. If the student writes a thesis or dissertation, it must be related to human-computer interaction. Students can normally fit the requirements for the certificate into their program of graduate study so that the time needed to complete the graduate degree in their basic discipline is not extended by simultaneously pursuing the certificate.

Each year, more than 30,000 fatalities occur on U.S. highways alone, at an estimated economic cost of more than $200 billion. The HFTS GCP focuses on applied human factors issues related to transportation safety and aims to exemplify Virginia Tech’s hands-on and minds-on approach to education. More information about this certificate can be found here.

The certificate requires a total of 4 courses (3 credits each for a total of 12 credits) distributed as follows: one course from each of Categories A, B, and C, and one course from either Category D or E.

In addition, courses from at least 3 of the 5 affiliated departments (i.e., Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Psychology, and Statistics) must be represented in the student’s overall graduate program of study.

Category A: Transportation Safety / Risk Core

• BMES 5234 Advanced Vehicle Safety Systems
• CEE 5640 Highway Transportation Safety

Category B: Human Factors Core

• ISE 5604 Human Information Processing
• ISE 5605 Human Factors Systems Design I
• PSYC 5344 Cognitive Psychology

Category C: Statistics and Research Design

• ISE 5615 Human Factors Research Design
• PSYC 5315 Research Methods
• STAT 5374 Statistical Epidemiology and Observational Studies
• STAT 5615/5616 Statistics in Research

Category D: Transportation-Related Eng./ Modeling / Design

• BMES 5164 Advanced Impact Biomechanics
• BMES 5174 Biomechanics of Crash Injury Prevention
• BMES 6164 Computational Modeling in Impact Biomechanics
• BMES 6174 Advanced Human Modeling: Injury and Tissue Biomechanics
• CEE 5604 Traffic Characteristics and Flow
• CEE 5644 Transportation Systems Planning
• CEE 5654 Advanced Geometric Design & Highway Safety

Category E: Human Factors Aspects of Transportation

• CS/ISE 5714 Usability Engineering
• ISE 5644 Human Audition and Auditory Display Design
• ISE 6604 Human Factors in Visual Display Systems
• ISE 6614 Human Computer Systems
• ISE 6624 Advanced Topics in Human Factors [1]
• PSYC 5404 Biological Bases of Behavior
• PSYC 6404 Behavior Management in Large-scale Systems
• STAT 5204 Experimental Design and Analysis I
• STAT 5204G Experimental Design: Concepts and Applications
• STAT 5214G Advanced Methods of Regression Analysis
• STAT 5514 Regression Analysis

• ISE 5804 Fundamentals of Systems Engineering  [context for HSI]
• ISE 5154 Technology Enabled Human Performance  [critical component of HSI]
• ISE 5144 Life Cycle Measurement of System Performance  [value impact of HSI]
• ISE 5434 Economic Evaluation of Applied Technology

The Graduate Certificate in Mission Engineering is designed to teach students engineering methods to design, develop, and assess complex system-of-systems using mission engineering tools and practices in combination with the tactical insights of operational planning. Students will learn how to identify mission-level operational needs to develop clear problem statements and apply mission engineering techniques to translate these needs into specific programmatic guidance for critical programs.

A four-course academic program focused on the establishment, operation and management of enterprise capabilities for technological innovation – addressing the full spectrum of basic science (research), technology development (invention/intellectual property), product/service development, commercialization, deployment, maintenance, modernization, and retirement of performance enabling technologies.

• ISE 5164 Transfer and Application of Emerging Technology
• ISE 5174 Engineering Program and Project Management
• ISE 5154 Applied Human Factors Engineering
• ISE 5134 Enterprise Information Systems